Secret Desires
by Stez
Summary: After the Battle of Hogwarts, students return to repeat their previous years. Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy come back to Hogwarts and find that they might have more in common than they thought. As a steady romance blooms between them, will they find the comfort they seek in each other? DMHG
1. Chapter 1

The Burrow was alive with movement. Tonks danced nearby, her electric pink hair standing out in the crowd. Fred and George were advertising their Skiving Snackbox to anyone who would listen, while trying to evade their furious mother. Ginny and Harry were linking hands while leaning against the wall sipping some Butterbeer.

Kingsley and Mad-Eye walked by with Mr. Weasley on their heels, probably discussing some Ministry issue. What was left of the Hogwarts students were having Butterbeer or dancing with their friends. Tonight was a night for forgetting what was lost. It had been two months since the Battle of Hogwarts, and mostly everyone had been grieving their losses.

But Hogwarts had been rebuilt over the summer, and everyone had come together to celebrate the grand re-opening of the famous school. Owls had come to most wizard children, and it had been rumored that almost 2000 students were coming this year. That was the most ever in the history of the renowned school. Including the mass of students was Hermione Granger.

Hermione was as excited as anyone else to go back to Hogwarts, after all, she hadn't gotten to complete her seventh year. She was even made Head Girl, which had been her dream for a while now. Idly, Hermione wondered who had been made Head Boy. Shaking her head, she smiled at some passing Hufflepuffs and tried to block out the thumping music which had started to give her a headache.

Suddenly red and green sparks exploded all over the living room. "For Hogwarts!" A voice boomed, and the crowd echoed the cheer. Everyone burst into applause. "To Hogwarts!" The cheers faded into the night as everyone forgot the horrors of the past two months and entered into eternal bliss.

* * *

The Hogwarts Express tooted loudly. Ginny, Harry, Ron and Hermione pushed their trunks into a compartment. "Sorry, I've got to go to the Prefect compartment." Hermione said. "But if we finish early, I might come back here." Harry, Ron and Ginny nodded, just as Luna and Neville entered._ At least they wouldn't be alone._ Hermione thought as she went to the back to find the Prefect compartment.

Mrs. Weasley had made sure that they arrived early, so the Express was mostly empty. She opened the compartment and stepped inside, nearly dropping her bag when she saw who was already sitting on the worn leather seats.

"Malfoy?"

Draco Malfoy was sitting on the chair, examining his immaculate nails. His white-blond hair caught the sunlight which gave it a shining look. Malfoy's deep gray eyes were wide with surprise and apprehension as Hermione entered the compartment warily. "What're you doing here?" Hermione asked, sighing. "Me?" asked Draco, "What're you doing here?"

She squared her shoulders. "Well, if you must know, I've been made Head Girl. Now answer my question." she ordered. Malfoy rolled his eyes in annoyance. "I'm Head Boy, Granger." he said with an exaggerated patience. Hermione's eyebrows shot into her hairline. "You? Head Boy?"

"Yes, now stop gaping at me like that. It really is unflattering." Malfoy replied. Hermione blushed and closed her mouth. "I didn't expect you to come back." Hermione said frowning as she took a seat across from the blond boy.

"Yes," he replied, "Well this is my Ministry approved punishment." The boy made a face. Hermione nodded. "Oh, I heard your father's in Azkaban now." she said. Malfoy recoiled as if she'd slapped him, and for a sliver of a second hurt and pain flashed across his features. "That's none of your business Granger." he snapped. Hermione frowned. "I'm sorry." she said quietly.

Malfoy looked away, not wanting to be pitied by her. He didn't answer and the two sat in silence until Ernie Macmillan entered with Padma Patil. "Oh hey Hermione." Padma said, ignoring Malfoy completely. "How was your summer?" Soon the train started to move and a teacher entered the compartment. She had flame red hair and emerald eyes, reminding Hermione of an older looking Ginny.

"Good Morning students," she said with a smile. "My name is Professor Lightwood, and I will be your new Potions Professor. I am also in charge of organizing the Prefects. Now, let's start off with the Prefect duties..."

Two hours later, the train tooted. "Oh!" Lightwood said in surprise. "I must have lost track of the time. All right, put your robes on and get your trunks ready. We'll be at Hogwarts soon."

When Hermione got off the train, Ron and Harry were nowhere to be found. She trailed behind the other prefects until they reached the Great Hall. Harry had saved her a seat at the Gryffindor table next to Ron and Neville. "Hi Hermione! How was your summer?" Luna asked as she walked by. Hermione frowned. Considering that there had been a huge battle, and a lot of her friends died, it wasn't exactly a fantastic summer.

But she plastered a fake smile on her face. "Oh, it was fine." she lied. "How was your summer?"

Luna smiled tranquilly and paused next to the Gryffindor table. "My summer was amazing. My father and I went to Sweden to catch some Nargles and Crumple-Horned Snorkacks. They put up a fight at first..." At this point, Hermione stopped listening to Luna's long tale. Harry and Ginny were whispering fervently to each other, while Neville was listening attentively to Luna's every word. Ron meanwhile was staring at the Slytherin table. She followed his gaze, and found that Ron was staring at Malfoy who was laughing with Pansy Parkinson.

"And that's why Daddy has a new Nargle bite on his face." Luna finished calmly. Neville laughed as Professor Sprout entered with the First Years and Luna waved to go back to the Ravenclaw table. The Sorting Hat had appeared on it's stool in front of the staff table. The Sorting Song began and the Hall quieted down immediately. "_Oh, you may not think me pretty, but don't judge on what you see. I'll eat myself if you find a smarter hat than me..."_

As the Hat sung its song, Hermione surveyed the First-Years. Most were very small and looked excited. All except for two girls. They were completely identical, both with the same beautiful pale skin and white-blond hair. Everything about them seemed pale and fair, and the only splash of color was their dark icy blue eyes. They held themselves coolly with a sense of pride and arrogance, casting disdainful looks towards the Gryffindor table.

Professor Sprout started to call out names.

"Melanie Spurlock."

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Andrew Graymark."

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Verra Patil."

"RAVENCLAW!"

"Arabella Malfoy." Gasps and mutters went around the room as one of the twins stood up and sat with an impassive face. Every eye seemed to turn to Malfoy who was sitting at the head of the Slytherin table, staring impassively at the girl on the stool who bore an uncanny resemblance to him. "SLYTHERIN!" the Sorting Hat called. The Slytherins cheered as she slid into the vacant seat next to Malfoy. "Marietta Malfoy." Sprout called from the front.

The other twin got up and sat on the hat. It had barely touched her head when, predictably, it shouted "SLYTHERIN!" She sat down on the other side of Malfoy with a sort of smug expression on her face. When they were side by side, it was quite obvious that the three were related. The only difference was that Malfoy had steely gray eyes and the twins had dark blue ones. As the food appeared on the plates, the three conversed as if they had know each other their whole lives, which they probably had.

"I didn't know Malfoy had sisters." Ron said curiously. Ginny shook her head and spoke up. "No, those aren't his sisters. It was in the Prophet that they are his cousins. Both their parents were Death Eaters and died in the Battle, so now they are living with Malfoy and his mum." Hermione looked up at the three Malfoys who ate slowly while surveying their surroundings carefully.

At that exact moment, Malfoy looked up directly at Hermione. Their gaze locked, and he raised his eyebrows when she didn't look away. Hermione blushed and turned back to her friends and barely touched plate of food. Finally, Professor McGonagall stood at the Headmaster's stand. A wave of nostalgia rolled over the Gryffindors as they remembered when Dumbledore used to stand at that same stand merely years ago and give the students start-of-the-year speeches.

Shaking off the oncoming waves of sadness, Hermione forced herself back into the present and looked at Professor McGonagall. "Welcome back to another year at Hogwarts." she said briskly, a rare smile on her face. "We would like to especially welcome the students who are coming back to repeat their final year as they were absent," she paused, and her gaze fell on Harry, Ron and Hermione, "or away. We hope that you will have a fantastic year here. We would like to to introduce a new teacher. Professor Lightwood - "

Lightwood stood up and smiled warmly at the students, though they only gave half-hearted applause. " - who will be teaching Potions." McGonagall continued. "I hope you will present her with the utmost respect." Her voice turned stern at the end, and her eyes drifted towards the Slytherin table. "We would also like to welcome back Professor Slughorn who will be resume his post as Head of Slytherin House."

Slughorn stood up and waved at the crowd, his gaze falling immediately on Harry and Hermione. He winked at the pair and then sat down once again. "He will also be the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher." McGonagall said. "I would like to wish everyone a fantastic, magical year and hope that you enjoy Hogwarts!" At this the students broke out in thundering applause, and the Prefects stood to guide their houses to the Common Rooms. As Hermione gathered the First-Years, she sighed inwardly.

_This is going to be an interesting year._


	2. Chapter 2

The next day started off with a trip to the Great Hall for breakfast. Harry was already organizing the Quidditch tryouts for the Gryffindor team, while Ron tried to engage Hermione in a discussion. "So I was thinking that maybe we could go to Hogsmeade later.." Ron started off, but Hermione's attention was already lost. Her gaze locked onto a familiar tall blond boy who was holding hands with Pansy Parkinson. _I guess they got together over the summer._ She thought to herself. The twins were flanking them with a boy that Hermione recognized as Blaise Zabini. The five of them looked like their own clique with Malfoy at the center.

"So, what do you think?" Hermione blinked and turned back to Ron who was staring at her hopefully. Nodding rapidly, she replied, "Er, yes, of course, that's great." Ron grinned at her and she smiled guiltily. She felt bad for ignoring Ron. "Okay, I'll see you there." he winked and kissed Hermione on the cheek, before turning to Harry to talk about Quidditch. Professor McGonagall handed out schedules to the Gryffindors, and Hermione checked her own schedule.

"Defense Against the Dark Arts." Harry mused, and then nudged Ron. "At least Snape isn't teaching anymore." He muttered. The thought of Snape was a bittersweet subject between the three. Unknown to them all, Snape had been on their side the whole time, and was a spy for Dumbledore. Though, that didn't make Harry like him any better as a teacher. Snape had treated the three Gryffindors (especially Harry) like a pile of Hippogriff poop.

Ron nodded and smiled slightly at Harry's joke. "I'm taking N.E.W.T. level Potions." Hermione said, gathering her Potions books and stuffing them into her bag. Ron gaped at her. "Are you mad?" he gasped. "Why would you take Potions? I barely passed my O.W.L. for that subject." he made a face and Harry chuckled. Soon it was time to head to their first classes of the day. Ron went to Charms, while Harry went to DADA. As Hermione entered the Dungeons her neck prickled uncomfortably.

The Dungeons made her slightly nervous, and she had to remind herself that Snape wasn't here to swoop down upon the students like an oversized bat. Instead Professor Slughorn was the Professor, and he wasn't as bad as Snape. In fact, Hermione much preferred him to the greasy haired man that had taught her Potions years ago. Slughorn opened the door and ushered the students into the musty room. The class had two Ravenclaws, three Gryffindor (Her, Parvati, and Dean) and one Slytherin.

Hermione squeezed into a desk next with Ginny and Luna, while Dean paired up with Michael Corner. Malfoy sat alone in the corner. Lightwood beamed at all her students. "Welcome students to your first Potions lesson." Lightwood paced as she talked, occasionally shooting glances at Malfoy who sat in solitude. "I have noticed that there are six of you - three boys and three girls - in this class. I want you to pair up with someone of the opposite gender that is also in a different House than you."

The children exchanged bewildered glances, and then all at once, there was a sudden flurry of movement. Dean quickly slid into the vacant seat next to Luna, and Ginny gave Hermione a pitiful look before smiling at Michael Corner and sitting next to him. Hermione slowly turned to face the only person who hadn't moved. Malfoy. He looked faintly amused, and dropped into his seat without waiting for her to approach. Hermoine slowly walked to the stool at Malfoy's table, and moved it as far away from him as possible.

"All right." Lightwood said cheerily, brandishing a battered copy of "Potions By the Ages" from her bag. "Now who can tell me what a Harkness Elixir is?"

...

As Hermione left Charms later that day, she was stopped by Professor Lightwood. "Miss Granger please follow me to my office." the Professor said cooly. Hermione frowned. "I'm sorry Professor, but tonight I have Prefect duties -" Lightwood shook her head and her red curls bounced. "No problem," she said airily, "Miss Patil is already going to be on Patrol this evening. Come." Without waiting for Hermione to follow, Lightwood left to go to her office.

As she followed Professor Lightwood, she wondered why she was going to her office. Maybe it was because of this morning's Potions class. Throughout the whole lesson, Hermione and Malfoy had bickered and threw insults back and forth. Lightwood was fuming by the time they had left the Dungeons. Hermione turned left and faced the door to the office. The office that Snape once occupied was unrecognizable. Instead of being dark and dreary, the room was light and breezy.

Enchanted flowers and butterflies floated in and out the window, making a circuit around the room and then leaving the window once again. The stiff uncomfortable chairs had been replaced by cozy armchairs and a glass table where a teapot and four cups stood. Portraits of famous wizards lined the walls, each one chattering animatedly to themselves. Everything was beautiful about the room, except for the devious looking boy sitting in one of the chairs.

"Malfoy." Hermione spat, stopping in the doorway. Malfoy looked up and glared at her. "Granger." He replied just as venomously. Lightwood frowned and waved her wand absently. The teacups floated towards Hermione, who had reluctantly taken a seat next to the blond boy, and Malfoy, who took the cup, had a sip, and then set the tea back on the table. Lightwood spoke up. "I have called you two here today because you are not being friendly to each other."

"You may not realize it, but as the Prefects, especially as the Head Boy and Girl, your Houses look up to you to give a perfect example. If you two go on being rude to each other, so will the houses. The Headmistress has informed me that already there have been two Gryffindor-Slytherin fights today. We all want the Houses united, not fighting, especially you two. As a result, the Headmistress and I have decided to switch your schedules 'll have the same classes but you will have them together from now on."

"But -"

"And," Lightwood said as if she hadn't heard Hermione protest. "All of your teachers have agreed to pair you up for every class." She smiled a satisfied smile. "So you two should start co-operating. I hope that by the end of this year, you will all be friends with each other. You may go." Lightwood stood up, her own cup of tea in her hand, and started to rummage through some scrolls of parchment on her desk and hum under her breath.

Hermione shot Malfoy a glare and mouthed the words 'Ferret' to him, and then turned and left. She was surprised when he appeared next to her again in the hallway. "This is all your fault Granger!" He said in annoyance. "If you hadn't sat next to me in Potions, this would never have happened."

"Me?" Hermione whirled and fixed him with a venomous stare. "I did _nothing!_ You're just an annoying little cockroach -" Malfoy suddenly grabbed her and pinned her to the wall. "Be careful what you say, Granger," he said quietly. "Be _very_ careful." An emotion passed over Draco as he stared into her caramel colored eyes. Up close they were a peculiar color, a blend of dark gold and deep brown. He found his eyes travelling down towards her lips, her glossy and slightly parted lips. Oh, how he longed to just lean in and -

Draco stepped back quickly. _No, he couldn't._ Granger blinked as if coming out of a dream, but by the time she looked up, Malfoy had already disappeared down the dark and empty hallway.


	3. Chapter 3

-The next week passed in a whirlwind of homework and trying to avoid Malfoy. On a chilly Wednesday evening, Hermione had decided to stay up late in the Common Room to finish her Arithmancy homework. She had just finished her essay when the portrait hole burst open and Ron stormed in. He was covered from head to toe in rain, and his red hair was plastered against his skull. As he walked, he left a trail of muddy footprints behind him.

The whole room fell silent as Ron stomped towards Hermione. "Where were you?" he demanded. His shoes squealed as he walked. "Well?" he asked when Hermione gave a startled squeak. "I-I don't know what you mean Ron." the astonished girl replied. He laughed bitterly and shook the water out of his hair. "What happened to 'Yes Ron, I'll meet you there.' Ring a bell?" Hermione thought back to the first day of classes when she hadn't been listening to whatever Ron had said to her in the Great Hall. She also remembered agreeing to do something with Ron, but she didn't even know what she had agreed to. "I'm sorry Ron, I think I must have forg -"

"Save it for someone who cares!" Ron barked back. "I waited for you for three hours, in the pouring rain too! And 'I'm sorry' is all I get?" Ron turned and stomped up the stairs, ignoring Hermione's panicked calls behind him.

When Hermione walked into the Great Hall that morning, Ron was sitting as far away as possible from her, while Harry stayed silent, not wanting to provoke any argument. "Ron, I'm really sorry." Hermione said softly. "Can you forgive me?" Ron continued to eat his toast, ignoring her as he did so. "Ron." Hermione said a bit louder. The ginger boy turned away from her and started a conversation with Neville about their Charms homework.

Hermione sighed and turned to face her porridge, though she had lost all of her appetite. Today, Malfoy was sitting with Zabini, and the twins were at the other end with Pansy. They seemed to be consoling her and patting her back, while sending dirty looks Malfoy's way. _They must have gotten in a fight._ Hermione thought. What a coincidence, on the same day that Hermione and Ron had fought. Soon it was time for Defense Against the Dark Arts with Slughorn.

Slughorn was sitting at his desk when the students entered. Like she was supposed to do, Hermione sat next to Malfoy. "What happened to you and the Weasel?" Malfoy asked with a smirk as she sunk into her seat. She shot him a half-hearted glare. "I could ask you the same." she replied. "What did you do to Pansy?" Malfoy's expression seemed to darken and he shook his head. "Don't ask, Granger." he muttered darkly. Slughorn stood up, his fat belly spilling over the desk.

"Okay class," he said, "Who knows how to deal with werewolf attacks?"

...

At long last DADA was over and it was time for Potions. Lightwood stood outside the class with a bright smile on her face. Oddly enough, behind her stood Professor McGonagall. As they entered the class, Ginny cast Lightwood a wary look.

"What do you think we're going to do this class?" the ginger girl asked quietly. "And why is McGonagall here?" Hermione shrugged tiredly. "Whatever it is," she replied, "I guess we'll find out soon."

By the time everyone was settled at their desks, McGonagall stood to address the students. "Good morning students. It has been brought to my attention that students have not been co-operating. It has mostly been the seventh years, and I am frankly shocked at such juvenile behaviour from our students."

"That is why, with the consultation of Professor Lightwood, I have decided that all of our seventh years will be taking a mandatory Greengrass Potion, Now, as you all should know, the Greengrass potion makes the drinker calmer and generally friendlier towards others. Today, with the assistance of Professor Lightwood, you will be making Greengrass potions. Whoever makes the best will get two bottles of Felix Felicis, 50 house points and a free Hogsmeade trip with one visitor." McGonagall finished.

"Good luck students. If no one can make a perfect potion, then each house loses 20 points for each person who fails. I hope this will give you more motivation." With those words, the Headmistress smiled at the students and then left the Dungeons.

Silence ricocheted around the room, before Lightwood beamed and said, "You may begin!" Hermione was the first to heave her cauldron up onto her desk and flip open her book. The sound of people slicing ingredients filled the room as the students concentrated on the task at hand. Hermione found herself glancing very often at Malfoy's cauldron.

He was slightly ahead of her; his potion was two shades brighter than hers already. She worked furiously to match his pace, hurrying over steps and backtracking until her potion was perfect. Finally Lightwood called out, "Hands up, cauldrons down!" Hermione stared at her potion, and then compared it to Malfoy's.

Both looked exactly the same, both a royal purple color that bubbled slightly. Across the room, Dean's was pink and emitting a stench that strongly resembled rotten eggs. Luna's had the consistency of wet cement, and was a Gryffindor red color. Ginny and Michael both had purple ones, though theirs was more of a lavender shade than deep purple.

Lightwood strolled between the tables, grimacing as she passed Dean's. She occasionally stirred a potion, or took a sniff before turning away is disgust. Finally she reached Malfoy and Hermione's table. Her expression brightened considerably and she stirred Malfoy's first. After taking a tentative sniff and nodding in approval she turned to Hermione's.

She stuck a finger into Hermione's potion, and watched slowly as the drops fell back into the cauldron. When she leaned back, there was a tentative silence as if the whole room was holding its breath. Finally Lightwood turned and walked back to the front. "Fifty points to..." the Professor paused for effect.

"Gryffindor _and_ Slytherin."

The students gaped at Lightwood like she was crazy. "And," Lightwood produced two bottles of gleaming golden liquid from her pocket. "One bottle of Felix Felicis to Miss Granger," she handed one to Hermione, "And another to Mr Malfoy." Malfoy collected the bottle slowly.

"You two will be allowed to go to Hogsmeade together on a day that you decide. Please let the Headmistress know before you leave." With that, she turned and left, and the students followed in her stunned wake.

As everyone piled out of the room, Ginny winked at Hermione before grinning at her murderous expression and ducking out of the classroom. Hermione slowly picked up her books and shoved them into her bag, her mind in a daze. When she looked up, Malfoy was leaning carefully in the doorframe, watching her get up.

"So, when are we going?" Malfoy asked quietly, walking next to her when she left the Dungeons. "Going where?" Hermione replied absently. The blond boy rolled his eyes and turned to look at the girl beside him. "Merlin, were you even listening Granger?" he asked. Hermione shook her head as if to clear it. "Oh, yes – Hogsmeade." She replied. "I don't know, whenever you're –"

"Draco!"

Pansy Parkinson flung herself in Malfoy's arms, sobbing into his chest quietly. "I'm not sure what came over me," she sniffled. "I should never have said what I did." She had a firm grip on her boyfriend, and she didn't even seem to notice Hermione standing behind her, so when she gave a discreet cough, Pansy turned around in shock. "Oh. Granger." She said dully, assessing the girl in front of her coolly. Hermione nodded back and turned to go back to the Gryffindor Common Room. "Wait!" Draco called. "What about Hogsmeade?" Pansy threw him a dirty look and stepped back as if Malfoy had burned her skin. "Hogsmeade?" she repeated shrilly.

"Maybe Monday." Hermione suggested, completely ignoring Pansy. Malfoy nodded and watched as she turned to leave. "I'll tell McGonagall." Hermione called over her shoulder. Unknown to her, Draco was staring after her, completely ignoring his furious girlfriend, his mind on peaceful thoughts of Hermione Granger and Hogsmeade.


	4. Chapter 4

On Monday morning, Draco woke up feeling oddly excited. For some reason he couldn't fathom, he was starting to look forward to seeing Granger again. She had started to become a permanent fixture in his life because they had classes and Prefect duties together. He saw her at least three times a day, and they had become accustomed to starting conversations whenever they met. Draco had soon found out that she was not as annoying as he had once thought. She was nice enough to talk to, though, the two weren't exactly friends. He no longer had a problem with being around her, but he would not go and seek her out to talk to her outside of class.

One might call them acquaintances, not exactly friends, but not exactly strangers. As Draco pulled his cloak on, he looked out the window. There was a whirlwind of snow outside his window, and he imagined that it would be hard to see. Shrugging, he stalked out his dormitory and out into the Common Room where his fellow Slytherins resided. Arabella was sitting with Marietta in an armchair by the fire. It was odd how much the twins looked like him, especially when they were just his cousins.

Already, they had managed to make tons of new friends, so they were surrounded by a small crowd of girls. They all fell silent as he came down the silver stairs. When he walked by, all the girls started to giggle. "Oh my gosh, that's Draco Malfoy! He's so hot! I can't believe he's your cousin." Smirking to himself, Draco stepped out of the portrait hole and walked down the corridor to the Gryffindor tower. Granger was probably still inside her Common Room, so he waited around the corner from the portrait hole.

Five minutes later, as Draco anxiously paced the corridors, he caught a flash of flame red hair and turned to see the Weasel hurry down the stairs and into a secret corridor. Draco checked left and right, then cautiously followed Ron into the corridor. It was dimly lit, and Malfoy could barely make out the shape of his hands in front of him. Soon he heard voices and followed them until he was close enough to hear what was being said.

"Oh, I've really missed you," the Weasel said. Draco heard slobbering sounds and knew that Ron was probably snogging whoever was with him. Draco listened until he couldn't take it anymore. He started to back out of the passage but stopped when he heard the Weasel's voice. "I'd better get back before Hermione notices that I'm gone." Draco froze. So he was cheating on Granger, was he? An uncontrollable rage took over Malfoy.

Didn't this git know how much Granger trusted him and cared about him? Now he was cheating on her with some girl. What did Granger even see in him? He spun on his heel and strode back to the Gryffindor Tower where Granger was waiting, a red and gold scarf tied around her neck. Immediately, she frowned when she saw him. "What's wrong?" she asked. Malfoy paused. _Should I tell her what I just found out? _He shook his head.

"Nothing."

Hermione stared at Malfoy throughout their walk to Hogsmeade. The snow came down in a thick flurry making it almost impossible for them to talk to each other. It didn't really matter because Malfoy didn't seem in the mood for talking. He seemed to be brooding over something, and when Hermione asked what was wrong, he merely avoided the question and continued to sulk. Finally, Hermione felt as though she couldn't take it anymore.

"What's wrong with you?" she asked as they entered the Three Broomsticks. He sighed and turned to face her, forcing a smile onto his face. "Nothing. I'm just feeling a bit sick." Malfoy replied, though there was some truth in his words; hearing Ron snogging somebody like that _had_made him sick. Hermione eyed him and then sat at a table set for two. Malfoy slid into the seat across hers and within moments they had both ordered a Butterbeer.

"I've been meaning to ask, have you finished that essay Professor Flitwick assigned? I haven't started it yet, I'm a bit behind on Charms." Hermione said conversationally, sipping her warm drink. Malfoy smirked at her and traced the brim of his mug. "Always eager to talk about homework, aren't you Granger?" Hermione scowled into her half-filled mug of Butterbeer. "Why do you always call me Granger?" she asked curiously. "Why never Hermione?"

Malfoy paused. "Well," he asked, "Why don't you ever call me Draco?" Hermione smiled shyly up at him. "Using your first name feels kind of intimate." she admitted quietly. Malfoy nodded and then shrugged. "Well," he said, "I'm willing to try if you are." Hermione looked up almost hopefully at him. She seemed to struggle for words. "Er, okay, Draco." His name felt foreign on her lips, almost forbidden. Malfoy - er, Draco smiled at her, a real smile, and nodded.

"Okay Hermione."

Her first name felt familiar, like he had been saying it instead of using her last name all the time. Quietly Hermione and Draco sipped their warm Butterbeers while enjoying the company of each other.

When Draco and Hermione reached the Gryffindor Tower later that night, Hermione was surprised to find Ron waiting outside the portrait hole. He was glaring at the Fat Lady, who was snoring loudly. When the two approached, Ron stood quickly and paced towards them. "Where have you been?" he demanded angrily, glowering at Hermione. "I looked for you all day, and you couldn't even tell me you were going out?"

Draco stared uncomfortably at his feet, and then cleared his throat. "Er, well, I'll see you later Grang - er, Hermione." he made an awkward waving gesture and quickly left for the Slytherin common room. "Bye Draco." Hermione called after him. Draco paused around the corner and stopped to listen to the Weasel's reply. "Draco? Since when do you call that git Draco?" Ron yelled furiously. "It's my life and I can do whatever I want with it! I can talk to him if I want to, and there's nothing you can do about it!" Hermione replied loudly.

"You're my girlfriend and you won't even obey what I say!"

Draco could see Hermione's rage and fury displayed on her face when he peeked around the corner. "I'm your girlfriend, not your house elf! I will not obey you, and I will do whatever I damn well please!" There was silence, and then a sound like ripping paper tore through the room. The Weasel came around the corner so quickly that he didn't notice Draco pressed into the shadows. When he was sure that Ron had left, Draco edged into the hallway.

Hermione was curled up in a ball on the floor, her hand cradling her left cheek. She was sniffling and tears were running down her flushed face. Draco coughed quietly. "Hermione? Are you all right?" he asked uncomfortably. She looked away from him and made a choking sound. "Ron -"

She broke into tears before she could even finish her sentence. Draco looked away from her in discomfort. He knelt down and stiffly put his arms around her. She turned and sobbed into his shoulder quietly. He made an uncomfortable choking noise in the back of his throat. "Er, what happened?" Draco asked slowly. After what felt like moments, Hermione lifted her head. Draco felt horror overtake him as he saw the red hand-shaped mark on her left cheek.

The Weasel had actually hit her. Red hot fury overtook Draco and he stood immediately. "Where is that no good idiotic -" He stopped mid-sentence and looked down when he saw Hermione tug on his arm. She shook her head and stared up at him with her big brown eyes. Draco nodded mutely, trying to ignore her frantic grip on his arm, and slid back onto the floor next to her. She looked exhausted, and Draco doubted she wanted to go back into the Gryffindor Common Room where the Weasel was surely waiting for her to come back._  
_

An idea blossomed in his mind and he hesitated before standing up. Hermione shot him a questioning look but he just shook his head and kept walking. He could hear her following slowly but surely behind him. Finally, he reached the wall that he had been looking for. The Room of Requirements. Pacing three times, he thought, _I need a room for Hermione to sleep in tonight. I need a room for Hermione to sleep in tonight. I need - _Draco looked up in surprise at the dark wood door that had appeared.

Hermione was leaning against the wall beside the door, breathing heavily. With one last glance at her, Draco opened the door. The Room of Requirements had transformed into a beautifully decorated bedroom. A four poster queen size bed with golden covers and fluffy white pillows sat against one wall. A shelf of books ran along the other side, and a window seat was built into the wall. A wooden wardrobe was filled with clothes, and a door led off to a small bathroom. Draco pulled back the covers gently and Hermione slipped into the left side of the bed. Just as Draco was turning to leave, Hermione grabbed his arm.

"Please, stay." she whispered quietly. Draco met her eyes for a sliver of a second, and then pulled his arm away. Without looking back, he stood up and left the Room of Requirements, Hermione staring dejectedly after him.


	5. Chapter 5

When Hermione woke that morning, she was surprised to find that she was in an unfamiliar room. Everything was so grand and elegant, and -

Hermione sat up as the events of the past night came rushing back to her. She pressed her palm to her cheek, and felt rather than saw the stinging red mark where Ron had slapped her. She got out of the bed and looked into a mirror that was conveniently hanging on the wall. Hermione winced. The mark was much worse than she thought - a red hand shaped mark stood out against her pale skin. Hermione frowned and stared at her reflection.

Her tender cheek tingled when she touched it. Hermione plopped back onto the bed and stared at the ceiling. The last thing she remembered was Malfoy - er, Draco leaving her in this room. She realized that this room must have been the Room of Requirements. After taking a quick shower and finding her school robes magically on her bed, she dressed and headed for the Great Hall. She had hid the mark on her cheek with her hair.

When she approached the Gryffindor table, Harry and Ginny stood immediately and rushed to her side. Ron was nowhere to be found. "Hermione!" Ginny said in relief. "We stayed up all night waiting for you!" Harry made space for her between them. "What happened?" Harry asked softly. Hermione's lip trembled and she felt like she might cry. "R-Ron." she stuttered, before Ginny pulled her in for a hug. Harry looked alarmed.

"What did he do?" he asked slowly. Hermione pulled back her hair, exposing the mark. Ginny stood up, an unmistakable rage in her eyes. Harry's eyes widened to the size of saucers, and he too stood with Ginny. "When I see him -" Ginny started, flexing her fist and glaring towards the doors as if expecting him to walk in any second. "What's wrong with him?" Harry asked, his barely contained fury showing in his emerald eyes.

Harry and Ginny started to walk to the doors, making their way to the Gryffindor towers when Hermione stood up. "Please. Don't." She said, her voice breaking on the last word. Ginny gave her a sympathetic look, and then hugged her fiercely while stroking her hair and murmuring soothing words. Hermione looked up when Ginny suddenly stiffened and Harry stood again. Ron had just entered the Hall. His red hair was tousled and stuck to one side of his head as if he'd just woken up.

There were bags under his eyes and his robes were disheveled. Ron skin was a pale sickly gray, and his blue eyes had lost their twinkle. As soon as he entered the Hall, he turned and walked to the Gryffindor table. Hermione was surprised when Harry stood up and glared at Ron. Over the years Harry had grown until he was taller than both Ron and Hermione, so now, he was looking down at Ron. "Please," Ron pleaded, "I need to talk to Hermione."

Before either Harry or Hermione could reply, Ginny stood up. By now, most of the Gryffindor table were starting to stare. "You have _no right_ to talk to Hermione right now!" Ginny said furiously. "How dare you!" Harry nodded. "Yeah mate," he added, "That seriously was not right." Ron looked past both of them and stared at Hermione, silently pleading. "I -" she stood up nervously, "I'll go." When Ginny and Harry turned to object, Hermione shook her head.

Without another glance back, she followed Ron out of the Hall. When they were both safely away from the prying eyes of other students, Ron reached for Hermione's hand. When she backed away, Ron sucked in a gust of air. "Listen, Hermione, what happened yesterday -"

"I need time." Hermione interrupted quietly. "Time to think. Time away."

"Away?" Ron asked, even though he knew her answer. "Away from what?"

"From you." Hermione said slowly. Just as Ron started to protest, Hermione saw a familiar flash of blond hair. "Excuse me." she muttered absently, and turned to follow Draco. When she finally touched his shoulder, he stiffened and turned. "I just wanted to thank you." she said softly. Draco nodded stiffly. He gave her a meaningful look, and then turned around and started to walk down the hallway. They soon appeared in front of the Room of Requirements and Draco pushed open the door to the Room, allowing Hermione to sit on the bed. He started to pace, pulling a nervous hand through his hair.

"Look, Granger. There's something I need to tell you." Hermione noticed idly that he had used her last name instead of her first. He said, stopping and fixing her with an anxious stare. He had been thinking about it all night, and he had decided that Hermione needed to know about the Weasel cheating on her. She stood up, already predicting what Draco was going to tell her. "I already know what you're going to say." she cut him off, stopping him from his pacing. He raised a prefectly arched eyebrow. "You do?" he asked in surprise.

How could Hermione know about that? She nodded slowly and sat back on the bed. "You're going to say that I should break up with Ron." Draco frowned. "Yes, Hermione, you should because -"

"I know," she interrupted. "That what he did was unacceptable, and he's been a bit off lately. But I think that me and him just need some time to work things out." Draco shook his head quickly. "No." he said. "I meant that the Weasel is -"

"Please, Draco, just let me work things out with Ron." Hermione said, frowning at her knotted hands. Draco made a noise of frustration in the back of his throat. "No, Granger, listen!" He gave a warning glare when she opened her mouth to object. "Okay, yesterday when I went to wait for you outside Gryffindor Tower, I saw him leave early. I followed him to a secret passage, and then I saw him -" Draco found that the words seemed to stick in his throat.

He didn't want to hurt Granger more than she already was, but she needed to know. "I saw him snogging another girl." The words seemed to hang in the air, and a terrible silence followed. Hermione seemed frozen staring at her fingers, her eyes wide. She suddenly stood up and jabbed Draco in the chest. "Look, I know you don't like Ron, but that doesn't mean that you can go around making false accusations!" She cried hysterically.

Hermione started to pace, slowly muttering to herself, occasionally shooting Draco a glare. Finally, he reached out and grabbed her shoulders, spinning her to face him. "It's true, Granger." he said in a low voice. "Don't believe me if you want, but that's the truth." For a couple of minutes she was silent, and then she tore out of the Room of Requirements. Draco followed, calling her name but she didn't slow. She turned down the secret passage that Draco had taken to get to the Room, shaking her head as she went.

Draco lost sight of her as she turned left, and followed, calling her name. "Hermio -"

He froze mid sentence, taking in the sight in front of him. Hermione had paused right in front of him, staring at Ron, who had his arms wrapped around a dark haired girl. Draco's eyes widened when the girl turned around to face him, and he mentally cursed himself for not realizing this sooner. Ron had been snogging Pansy. Pansy, who had repeatedly told him how much she hated Gryffindors. No wonder that whenever Draco brought up the Weasel, Pansy had rolled her eyes and ignored him.

She had been snogging the Weasel behind his back. Ron's face turned as red as his hair, and he let go of Pansy as if her skin had shocked him. "Hermione. I -" Hermione turned and ran past Draco, her shoulders brushing his. He thought he saw a silver tear streak down her cheek as she passed.

Draco turned back to the Weasel, shaking his head. "You've done nothing but hurt her -"

"Oh yeah? How about you? Calling her Mudblood for the past six years?" Ron shot back. Pansy edged slowly backwards and tried to slip past Draco unnoticed. He turned back to her, a glare on his face. "Why?" he asked. "Why did you do it?" Pansy flushed, frowning down at her fingers. "You never paid anymore attention to me," she replied quietly. "You were always talking about that Mudblood -"

Draco rolled his eyes and gritted his teeth. Pansy flushed an even deeper red. Ron spoke up beside her. "What's wrong with you? I bet you've been snogging Hermione this whole time, haven't you?" This time Draco rolled his eyes. "Don't be ridiculous, why would I want to snog the mudblood?" The thought of kissing Hermione didn't fill him with disgust. Instead, it made him feel annoyed. He shook his head and stepped forward. "Just shut up Weasel."

Draco turned away and ran in the direction that Hermione had disappeared. He guessed that she had ran into the Room of Requirements, and wasn't surprised to see her sitting in the bed, curled up in a ball as tears ran freely down her cheeks. She looked up when Draco came in, and then miraculously, her crying stopped. She stared at him for a moment before a crazy smile lazily crept onto her face. He sat on the edge of the bed cautiously.

"Y-you were right." Hermione said slowly, wiping away the tears left on her face. "You were r-right about Ron." She grabbed his shirt and pulled him forward suddenly. There was a tense silence, and then she slowly raised her eyes to his. As soon as Draco looked into her eyes, he knew that something was about to happen. Hermione leaned forward until her nose was touching his, and when she spoke, her breath fanned out across his face.

"You're the only one that's still here." She said softly. "You've been so nice to me." Hermione pressed her forehead to Draco's. He stiffened for a second, his eyes wide and surprised. "I think," Hermione continued, "That since we've both been screwed over today. Maybe we should have some..._fun._" Before Draco could do anything, she leaned in and pressed her lips to his, a frantic urgency leading her on. After a couple of seconds, Draco pulled back and stood up, wiping his lips with his sleeve, a disgusted look on his face.

Hermione watched as he fled from the Room of Requirements.


	6. Chapter 6

**THANKS FOR READING! I know I haven't said that in a while but I really do want to thank you guys for reading and following and favouring this story. It means so much to me, and I hope you enjoy this chapter :)**

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A week later Hermione made her way down to the lake. Everyone was still inside, enjoying their lunch in the Great Hall. Hermione felt her heart beat a little faster when she saw the pale blond figure sitting among the trees. As soon as she sat down next to him, Draco looked up. He had been acting strangely since last week. He kept avoiding her, and he didn't answer any of her questions whenever she asked.

Draco looked away, and Hermione felt her smile slip of her face. "Hermione." he nodded impassively, staring at his reflection in the lake. Draco knew that Hermione had been trying to find him since last week, but he hadn't wanted a moment alone with her. "So," Hermione started, "About yesterday - I've been thinking a lot, and maybe we should - you know, if you want to -"

"No. It can't happen ever again." Draco dead-panned, stopping Hermione mid-sentence. She looked down in shame. How could she have been so stupid to think that Draco would actually want to be in a relationship with her? He obviously didn't want her. She looked back up at him.

Draco shook his head slowly. "It would never work." Hermione's hand crept forward, but before she could meet his own, he pulled his hand away. Turning to face her, he frowned slightly. "Look Granger. You know my parents would never approve. It could never work out. We're two completely different people, and frankly, I'm basically royal. I can't be seen with you."

Hermione ignored the pang in her chest at his cold words. "But, what about what you feel?" She asked, leaning forward to look into his eyes. When Draco stiffened, she pulled back. "It doesn't matter what I feel." Draco replied impassively. He got up and Hermione stared incredulously after his retreating figure, wondering what in the world had just happened. After a while she got up and walked back into the castle, and into the Great Hall. As soon as she entered, the Gryffindor table fell silent. Word had traveled fast throughout Hogwarts about Ron and Hermione's breakup.

Most of the girls sent Hermione sympathetic looks as she passed, and some of the boys simply grinned, happy that she was now single. Ginny and Harry were at the end of the table, and when Hermione entered, they stood up. Ginny immediately enveloped Hermione in a hug, patting her back soothingly. Harry simply slid over so that Hermione could sit between both of them. "What happened?" Harry asked, putting his arm around her comfortingly.

"I think," Hermione said slowly, "That Ron and I might need some time apart." Ginny smiled softly and nodded. "Yeah, no problem." she replied. "We won't let him anywhere near you until you say so." Harry scratched the back of his neck uncomfortably. "Well," he said, "That might be a problem since he's the Keeper for our Quidditch team." Ginny kicked him under the table, and he winced before forcing a smile. "I mean," Harry amended, "If you want, I could kick him off the team?"

Though he was saying that, his green eyes pleaded for Hermione to say no to the offer. She knew that Ron was one of the best Keepers in Hogwarts, and Harry couldn't afford to lose him, so she shook her head no. Harry exhaled in relief, while Ginny glared at him out of the corner of her eyes. Suddenly the chatter at the table died down, and Hermione looked up to see Ron slouch into the Hall. His face was flushed and when he met her eyes, he sent her an apologetic look.

As he walked by, people cast him dirty looks, and Cormac McLaggen even tripped him. He stopped right next to Hermione, and she felt Ginny and Harry's elbows digging into her ribs as they squeezed closer to her. "What do _you_ want?" Ginny asked her brother coldly, her glare directed towards him. Ron stopped and said, "This is none of your business Ginny. Or Harry's. This is between me and Hermione only." Harry stood up and looked down at Ron.

"Yeah? Well, when someone messes with our friend, we don't just let it slide. Leave her alone." Harry crossed his arms and shifted his weight to his left foot. Ron ears turned red and he glanced at Hermione, then looked away. "Is this what you really want?" He directed this question to Hermione. "We can still figure things out."

This time, it was Hermione's turn to stand up and cross her arms. "We're done, Ron. _Done._" Her voice was a lot more steady than she expected, and Hermione felt braver. "And why Pansy?" she asked. "What happened to us?" With that, she brushed past Ron and left the Great Hall.

That evening, Hermione entered the Gryffindor Common Room for the first time in three days. She had been avoiding Ron, and had been staying in the Room of Requirements, but now she had decided to return to the Gryffindor Tower. It felt wrong staying in the room that Draco had dreamed up when he'd been so cold towards her earlier. The Fat Lady was lounging in her frame, eating grapes and drinking wine. "Oh you're back! I was starting to wonder if you'd strayed off into the Forbidden Forest." The Lady drawled, taking another swig of her wine. Hermione said the password (which had been changed to Blubberpatty) and swung through the portrait hole.

She had stopped by the library to finish some homework and had stayed out late, so the Common Room was mostly empty. An abandoned game of wizard chest laid on the rug in front of the fire, the pieces wiggling uncomfortably. A couple people sat in the armchairs, trying to finish their homework or already asleep in the corner. Hermione crept up the stairs to the girls' dorms, counting off the doors until her own. She eased open the door, knowing that her fellow roommates were probably asleep already.

Hermione busied herself with the task of putting away her books and piling her robe and cloak in her trunk. It was only just as she was about to slip into bed that she noticed the flower. It was a soft pink color at the roots, and a pale white at the tips, with a green stem and was glowing softly. When Hermione picked up the flower, the scent of grass and sweet perfume washed over her. Hermione carefully picked out her textbook - Herbology: The Language of Flowers - and thumbed through it quickly. She studied the illustrations until she found the one that matched the flower on her bed.

_Cyclamen_

_The Cyclamen is a low-growing plant that is commonly found in Europe and Asia. It's leaves are ground up and mixed in potions to keep the potion from expiring or going bad. __Meaning - The Cyclamen implies resignation and goodbye. This flower is usually passed between old friends parting ways._

Hermione felt a her heart sink and she sighed. She conjured a glass vase for the flower and then stuck it in, letting the flower's stem soak up the water. She frowned to herself as she slipped into bed and pulled the covers up to her chin, thinking about goodbyes.

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**So there it is! I hope you liked it, and please review. Thanks! :)**


	7. Chapter 7

The next day Hermione woke up to rays of sunlight shining directly onto her face. She stretched and got up, immediately changing into her robes and going down to the Great Hall. After eating a delicious breakfast of scrambled eggs and bacon, she decided to leave and go back to her room. On her way up, she passed the Slytherin Common Room and stopped around the corner. Pansy and Ron were glaring at each other, oblivious to Hermione listening in on their conversation. "So?" Pansy was saying loudly. "You told me that you would tell her, and then we could be together! What happened to that?" Ron made a sound of frustration and turned away from her, throwing up his hands. "But you don't understand!" He retorted. "Everything's changed!" Pansy paced angrily in front of him. "Oh, what? Now the Mudblood is suddenly -"

Ron grabbed her and pinned her to the wall. "Don't you _dare_ call her a Mudblood!" He shouted suddenly. Hermione saw fear flash in Pansy's eyes briefly before she looked down. When she spoke, her voice shook. "S-Sorry." she stuttered, not meeting his eyes. He stared hard at her, and then firmly pressed his lips down onto hers. Hermione felt the breakfast she'd just eaten coming back up. Without peeling her eyes away, she turned on her heel and raced back to her dorm room. As soon as she shut the door behind her, Hermione collapsed on her bed, sobbing into her pillow.

What seemed like hours later, the door creaked as it was eased open, and the edge of Hermione's mattress dipped. "Go away." She moaned, wrapping her arms tightly around herself. She didn't even bother to look over her shoulder to see who was there. It was probably Harry or Ginny. She was surprised when she heard another familiar voice chuckling uncomfortably. "McGonagall sent me to get you. We have a prefect meeting." Hermione spun around quickly while wiping her eyes furiously.

"Okay, I'm coming. Just...go away." Her voice cracked on the last word and she mentally cursed herself for being so emotional. Malfoy chuckled dryly. "I'm not leaving until you move on and get over Weasel. He may be an arse, but don't beat yourself up over it." Despite her sad feelings, Hermione found herself laughing at Malfoy's language. "Come on," he said. "Let's go." Hermione stood up and crossed in front of him to get to the door. Draco walked next to Hermione occasionally glancing at her to see if she was alright. She appeared to be fine, maybe just a little gloomy, but fine nevertheless. After their Prefects meeting, Draco went his own way and Hermione went back up to Gryffindor Tower. Since she had basically missed most of the day, she caught up on her Potions homework.

When the clock ticked eight, Hermione left the Common Room and went out to patrol the corridors. Of course, she found students roaming the hall but soon took care of their disciplinary problems by handing them a detention slip. Thirty minutes later, Hermione checked her watch frantically. Where was Draco? Wasn't he supposed to come patrol with her? Hermione asked a first year Slytherin if he was in the Common Room, to which she responded no. Hermione felt frustrated that Draco couldn't at least act like the Head Boy he was supposed to be and show up for prefect duties.

After searching basically everywhere, Hermione found Draco up on the Astronomy Tower. There was a bottle of Firewhiskey in his hands and his eyes were round and red rimmed. He's been drinking, Hermione thought to herself. Draco leapt up when he saw her, and to her surprise he hugged her. "Why are you up here? What happened to Prefect duties?" Hermione asked, putting her hands on her hips. Draco smiled sloppily and his bottle shook. "Screw Prefect Duties." His voice was slurred. Hermione sat down next to him and took a hold of his arm. "What's wrong with you? Why are you doing this?" she asked with a concerned look on her face. Draco's dopey look disappeared and a Hermione's heart tugged at the sadness that replaced it.

"My whole life is a mess." He said sadly. "I lost my girlfriend to a weasel, my father is locked up in Azkaban and most of my friends are gone. I'm alone." Hermione shook her head and to her own surprise, she hugged him. "You're not alone," she said quietly. "You have me." Draco leaned his head on her chest, and Hermione was shocked when she felt tears on her shirt. She held him as he sobbed, all of his worries and fears being revealed to her. He quieted down, and slowly lifted his head. In that moment when their gazes locked, and Hermione knew what was going to happen. Draco moved forward and pressed his lips to her's, his hands sliding around her waist.

His lips moved with hers and she tasted the salt of his tears on his bottom lips. They were so close that it was hard to tell where his body ended and hers began. Draco and Hermione broke apart, breathing heavily and both their hearts racing. Hermione frowned and leaned back. "Draco, this is wrong," she started. "So, so wrong -" Draco interrupted her with another kiss, and this time they didn't stop. Hermione felt his hand creeping up the her side and up her shirt. His mouth travelled to the edge of her mouth, and then slowly down to her neck. She gasped as he bit lightly on her pulse, at the spot where her neck met her shoulder. By now, both Hermione and Draco were entwined on the floor of the Astronomy Tower, and both were kissing passionately.

Suddenly the door burst open and light flooded the Tower. "Ms. Granger! Mr. Malfoy! Down to my office immediately!" Hermione cringed at the scandalized look on Professor Trelawney's face as Draco scrambled for his shirt and tried to conceal the bottle of Firewhiskey on the floor. Trelawney muttered a spell and and the Firewhiskey flew into her open hands. "Come along." She said briskly. "There is something I would like to discuss with you." In a most unlike manner, she snapped her fingers and gestured for them to hurry after her. Draco shared a look with Hermione as he got up and trudged after Trelawney.


End file.
